YouPorn.com Hit With 'History-Sniffing' Lawsuit

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Two men have filed a class action lawsuit against Netherlands-based Midstream Media N.V., owners of YouPorn claiming the company’s sites use “history-sniffing” technology to hijack users’ personal information.

David Pitner and Jared Reagan have filed the suit that says the technique allowed the defendants to tap users’ browsers to see what porn sites they visit by exploiting a Javascript security flaw.

The breach works through a user's browser by checking if previously visited links change to the color purple.

Reports last week exposed the security flaw citing a UC San Diego academic paper published a few months back that cited YouPorn, YouPornGay.com and YouPornCocks as the top history-sniffing sites.

The court papers filed in the Central District of California accuse the YouPorn sites of “impermissibly accessing [users'] browsing history” and seeks class-action status. The lawsuit alleges that the site broke California computer and consumer protection laws, as well as “violat[ed] Plaintiffs’ privacy interests.”

The suit further states that YouPorn employed deceptive practices by hiding its “history-sniffing” or “history-hijacking” in its source code with simple cryptography.

“The YouPorn sites promote themselves as vehicles to obtain and share free pornographic media and make content generated by third-parties available to their viewers… Visitors to the website can also ‘rate’ the content they view on a scale of 1 through 5,” the complaint says. “The YouPorn sites do not mention this [history-sniffing] process at all in their terms and conditions.”

YouPorn has reportedly removed the history-sniffing code from its website after stories broke last week revealing the practice.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Ofcom: Age Assurance Going Live Across 'Thousands' of Porn Sites

U.K. communications regulator Ofcom said in a statement Thursday that providers of online pornography are implementing age assurance across “thousands of sites” accessible in the U.K., in response to Ofcom’s Online Safety Act (OSA) enforcement program.

ASGMax Debuts 'Roleplay' AI Chat Feature

Alpha Studio Group (ASG) has introduced the ASGmax Roleplay AI chat feature.

XBIZ Miami's Host Hotel Sold Out, General Registration Now Open

Guest rooms at XBIZ Miami’s exclusive conference venue, Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beach hotel in South Beach, are now completely sold out.

Adult Industry Educational, Networking Platform 'Imperfectly You' Launches

Imperfectly You, an educational and networking platform for adult industry workers, has officially launched.

Segpay to Launch News Network for High-Risk Merchants

Segpay has announced that it will launch the Segpay News Network (SNN) on April 15.

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Pineapple Support to Host Autism Spectrum Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who are, or suspect they may be, on the autism spectrum.

ImLive Launches Revamped Member Loyalty Program

Cam platform ImLive has revamped its member loyalty program.

GoFundMe Set Up for Danny Ferretti's Medical Expenses

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Fangear founder Danny Ferretti, who requires extensive lung surgery.

Byborg Acquires Cuties AI

Byborg Enterprises has acquired adult artificial intelligence startup Cuties AI.

Show More